Soul Eater Chronicles: Dark Path of the Stars
by Juno Valesti
Summary: Chapter 10, "The True Path of the Stars!"...After the Paris Incident, BS and Tsubaki have finally returned home to Death City... But instead of a peaceful night, BS is haunted by a dream which helps him realize that the most important person to him is...
1. Face Down

Soul Eater Chronicles: Dark Path of the Stars Episode 1: Face Down

* * *

With the Panting Sun looming over Death City, the heat wave reaches its peak. The temperature has now become almost unbearable. Yet, even under such conditions, the battle between Black Star and Blair the Witch continued as planned. Before the start of the match, Stein made clear to them some rules in order to prevent any accidental deaths.

"Why don't we make this a little more interesting?" Blair added, "How about a little wager?"

"Okay. If you lose, you quit the school!" Black Star quickly stated.

"Fine. But if I win," she smiled, "You, your friends, the Death Scythes, everyone including the Shinigami will have to accept me for who I am as a student. And treat me equally, got it?"

"Yeah. Whatever."

Professor Stein thought it over for a bit, but then agreed to the terms. Afterwards, the two combatants went to prepare themselves.

* * *

"Are you really going to fight him in this heat?" asked Blair the cat. She and her Okami were at one end of the combat zone, while Black Star and Tsubaki were at the other.

"I don't think I have any choice in the matter," she fans herself with her hat.

"What do you mean?"

"Just look over there," she pointed towards the entrance where Stein watched comfortably under the shade. It seems that the Shinigami himself appeared to witness the fight. With him were the three Death Scythes: Spirit, Azusa, and Marie. To make things worse, there were also a lot of students watching from the railings and windows despite the heat. News traveled quickly in the school and the chance to check out the fighting capabilities of the new student was all too important to miss.

"Wow, there sure are a lot of people watching us," remarked Tsubaki.

"Of course, they've all come to witness the might of the Great Me!!!" Black Star laughed out loud. He was very pleased with himself.

"Do your best, Black Star," she clapped her hands in support.

"Yeah, I'm going to show them all," he cracked his knuckles and proceeded to the center of the combat zone. At the same time, Blair left the pointy hat with her cat and went to meet her opponent. Since their enemy didn't have a partner yet, Tsubaki had to remain at the sidelines just to make things fair. Watching with her, were the Thompson Sisters.

* * *

"I hope he doesn't get his butt kicked again," sighed Liz. The memory of the last confrontation was still fresh in her mind as she shades them with her umbrella.

"Fight, fight, fight!" chanted her sister, Patty.

"Don't worry. Black Star will do great," Tsubaki was confident. She explained that ever since they got back, he had nothing else on his mind but to get even. So, he started honing his skills and training daily in order to prevent another defeat from happening. Therefore, unlike the previous battle, Black Star came fully prepared.

"This is gonna be awesome!" Patty pulled out an "e-Pod" from her pocket. Amazingly, she had already linked that simple little gadget to the school's intercom. She scrolled through several folders until she found what she was looking for. In order to set the right mood, she played "Face Down" by Red Jumpsuit Apparatus as the battle music. Awesome!

* * *

"You're going to regret ever coming here," he readied himself.

"Whatever. Let's just get this over with, shall we?" she was calm and relaxed. She wasn't even in a combat stance when the music sparked the start of the match. In a blink of an eye, Black Star jumped up aiming a twisting roundhouse kick to her face. Blair swiftly leaped back to avoid this.

"You're too slow, moron!" she shouted. In effect, he came flying at her with another kick. He was faster this time. She narrowly dodged that attack by leaping to the side. The results of Black Star's heavy training began to show. The crowds watched as Blair barely avoided his attacks, but managed to distance herself. She couldn't believe how fast Black Star had become.

* * *

At the same time, Stein had just informed the Shinigami and the Death Scythes of the wager they made.

"Is she really going to fight?" muttered Spirit.

"I don't think so," replied Stein. From early on, he saw no activity from her soul.

"Why is that?" asked Spirit.

"It's because we're all watching," Marie answered.

"She won't risk compromising herself. Her Soul Protect spell is still active," stated Azusa. Even with her Clairvoyance ability, she still couldn't see through the spell.

"So she's really hiding herself from the witches, huh? Then how will she win without her magic?" asked Spirit, appearing to be the only one left in the dark.

"How will she indeed?" the Shinigami spoke.

* * *

Back to the match, "Speed Star!" he declared and blitzed straight for Blair with astonishing speed. There was no way to counter this so she dashed to face him head on. The difference in velocity was quite obvious.

"Take this!" he threw out a strong punch as they were about to clash. Immediately, the witch jumped to the side and let him pass through. The second she sighted his back, she swiftly delivered a powerful kick. Black Star was caught by surprise. So much so that he blew up into a cloud of smoke. A log absorbed the blow and was sent flying away instead of him.

"A fake!!!" the thought screamed in her mind. It was another classic trick developed from his intense training.

"Gotcha!" The real Black Star suddenly appeared beside her and launched a barrage of punches. None of which were avoided. For the coup de grâce, he was finally able to deliver his twisting roundhouse kick which sent her several meters away.

"Yeah!" like any winner, he thrust his fist into the air, "I am the Best!" The crowd did NOT go wild, unfortunately. How could they? All things aside, Blair was still a girl after all. Not knowing her true nature, the match appeared one-sided from the very beginning. So to the spectators, Black Star looked like some jerk who just beat up a girl. They were not happy, especially since the battle music, "Face Down," reinforced their disapproval of him. It wasn't long before the booing started. The garbage-pelting came right after.

"W-what the hell is wrong with you people!?" he could only wonder.

* * *

Author's Notes: To those who just read this, please know that this is a continuation of my previous work: "Broken Resonance". This story follows Black Star and Tsubaki. Maka and Death the Kid have their own separate stories entitled, "Weapons of Fate" and "Twilight of the Gods", respectively. Enjoy! ^_^

PS: The three stories may sometimes overlap with one another.


	2. A Falling Star

Episode 2: A Falling Star

* * *

"I see," Stein's eyes narrowed into slits.

"So that's her strategy," Azusa folded her arms, "She's using her own femininity as a weapon. Ingenious!"

"But, how is she going to win like this?" asked Marie.

"Who knows?"

While the Death Scythes speculated, the Shinigami stood silent. He ignored the events around him, but focused on the fallen Blair. Although he possessed a Soul Perception ability that was far superior to everyone else's, it still wasn't enough to breach the Soul Protect spell. He found this to be bothersome. Watching the witch lie there, he thought to himself. _Is there a way to beat that spell_? The answer eluded him for the past several hundred years ever since the war between him and the witches began. He recalled each and every time a witch was able to bypass their defenses and infiltrate their ranks. Examples of such occurrences were Medusa, who was able to masquerade as the school nurse and most recently, Blair who managed to sneak into the Kishin's Defeat Party and nab Kid. There must be a way! As he pondered the idea, the whole area grew dark all of a sudden. A large ominous black cloud blocked out the Panting Sun.

* * *

"This doesn't bode well," meowed Blair the cat, fearing it might be rain.

The cloud caught everyone's attention. The booing, the pelting, and the battle music stopped. Silence engulfed the whole school. Black Star, who was covered in garbage, looked up at the sky, "Looks like the real fight is about to begin." No truer words were spoken

It was like thunder roaring at a distance. It began building until the sound of the cheering masses became overwhelming. Blair was getting up. The crowd went wild upon seeing this. The students encouraged her with their cheers. She staggered at first, indicating how much pain she was in. Her legs were okay, but her right arm was completely paralyzed. During the sneak attack, her right arm absorbed the majority of the power punches rendering it useless. Upon further inspection, it was, in fact, dislocated.

"Oh man, that hurts," she wiped some blood off the side of her lip. Her jaw felt a little numb. It got hit by Black Star's kick. Thankfully, all her teeth were still there. None of which were broken, dislodged or loosened. A miracle!

"Wow! She's tougher than I thought," Both Liz and Tsubaki were amazed.

"She's so cool!" Patty cheered for her. She reconnected the "e-Pod". Soon, the intercom continued playing the latter part of the battle music, "Face Down"

* * *

Meanwhile, Blair saw something odd. "What the heck?" Maybe her vision was still blurry, but she swore she saw a trio of Black Stars charging at her. She rubbed her eyes just to make sure. Yep, there were three of them, alright.

"Mirror Images," she thought. She closed her eyes and listened. She concentrated and blocked out all the numerous sound waves emanating from her classmates until she heard nothing. Using her Echolocation ability, she quickly sensed every sound and every movement the three made. However, she heard no heartbeats coming from any of them.

"Piece of cake," she fully utilized her special ability and countered each and every attack with her kicks. She knew these guys were fakes and the lack of speed and coordination proved it. They were easily dispatched in a matter of seconds.

"You're dead!" The familiar loud rowdy voice came from behind, "Hissatsu Kokusei Big Wave!!!" Blair was struck at the spinal column with a stunning elbow strike. A powerful punch came immediately afterwards and sent a large amount of Soul Energy, in the form of electricity, surging through her body. Had she been a normal person, the electricity alone would have coursed up her spinal cord and liquefied her brain. However she wasn't a normal person, so the next best thing was for the electricity to completely paralyze her. If that didn't work, the electrocution should temporarily rewire her brain. This meant that her motor functions would be thrown in total disarray. For example, if she wanted to move an arm, her leg reacted or her nose twitched instead. If she wanted to move a finger, her head would turn to a side. These kinds of random side effects would be devastating in any battle.

* * *

"Is she done for?" asked Spirit.

"I doubt it," Stein answered. The Soul Protect spell was still holding. Black Star's attack wasn't enough to break or at least disrupt it. It appears that the only way to shatter that spell was for the witch to die or at least be rendered unconscious.

The crowd watched in shock, they didn't expect the supposed "test battle" to turn out like this. Blair stood there like a statue. Black Star slowly stepped back to check whether she'd fall to the ground or if she really was petrified. That move earned him a swift punch in the gut.

"His soul wavelength attack didn't affect her at all," Tsubaki was getting worried. Meanwhile, the Death Scythes quickly realized the reason for this. It appears Blair can match her own soul wavelength to those of her opponent's. It was the same ability Stein possessed.

"You can never defeat me, you worm," Blair said, controlling her volume so that no one else heard it.

* * *

With the wind literally taken out of Black Star, it was easy for her to take advantage of the situation. As payback for earlier, he sent him flying with her version of a twisting roundhouse kick to the face. He traveled across the combat zone and landed before Tsubaki.

"Black Star!" she came to his aid. He was in pain, but still conscious.

"This is getting out of hand. We should stop the match," suggested Marie.

"Even if we did, I doubt that he'll stand down," Stein was referring to Black Star.

"But at this rate-"

"Don't worry," the Shinigami interrupted, "If she really wants to be a student here, she won't hurt him that much," he assured them. Hence, they kept watch and let the situation play itself out.


	3. Shadow Star

Episode 3: Shadow Star

* * *

Noon—the Panting Sun was blocked out of sight by banks of low-lying dark clouds. The scorching-hot morning had shifted into a cool cloudy day. The residents of Death City were quite happy to be relieved from the sweltering heat. Similarly to the hill-top school of Shibusen, the charged-atmosphere was slowly winding down. It had become clear to everyone that the test battle between the close quarter combat specialist and the new eccentric student was a stalemate. Nonetheless, they were all impressed with Blair for holding her own against one of the stronger students on her very first day of school.

But, unbeknownst to them, the test battle was still far from over. Even though Blair was in rough shape, the match had to continue. She was still standing after all. And the rules state that for a fight to end: Either one or both combatants have to be incapacitated, one of them surrenders to the other, or the witnessing instructor chooses to end it.

"You tired, Black Star?" hollered Blair.

"Shut up!" he got up and quickly went for another attack leaving his partner, Tsubaki, looking more worried than ever. She felt something was wrong here. Black Star was being overly aggressive in this match. Normally, at a moment like this, he would be declaring himself as the winner or he'd be gloating at his opponent.

"Stubborn little guy, isn't he?" remarked Liz. Tsubaki didn't say anything for she was still deep in thought.

* * *

A floor above them, someone else noticed his little change in attitude. Sid, who was Black Star's mentor, knew pretty much everything there was to know about him and even he didn't understand why he was acting this way.

"Something's wrong," he said, seeing his protégé recklessly charging into battle. He was being dependent on his speed and strength rather than using his brains. That is why, unlike earlier, Blair was now able to read his moves more easily. As a result, all she had to do was to wait for the opportune moment and then, "Take this!"

Black Star received an uppercut strong enough to get him off the ground. She immediately followed it up with a graceful, yet powerful spinning kick. He was sent back to his partner in record time that the current battle music "Megalomaniac" by Incubus had a minute to spare.

"Time to end this," he gritted his teeth. He grabbed Tsubaki's arm and shouted, "Fey Blade mode!" The move alarmed everyone including the Shinigami.

"B-but, Black Star," she wanted to protest, but his grip tightened so much that it began to hurt her hand. Clearly, he wasn't going to take 'no' for an answer. She complied.

* * *

"Soul Resonance!" they shouted. The audience watched in shock and awe as Black Star was covered in black tattoos while Tsubaki became a long black katana. Meanwhile, Blair looked upon them with uncaring eyes. She simply smiled and gave them a 'Bring it on' gesture with her good hand. A second later, Shadow puppets emerged and surrounded her. Since these things weren't that solid, sound waves didn't bounce off them as easily as she would have wanted. Hence, her Echolocation ability was ineffective in warning her of any incoming attacks from behind. She had to rely solely on her sense of sight. She tried her best to avoid them, but in vain. There were just too many of them. In the end, they managed to cut her up pretty good.

"Die!" a loud shout came from one of them shortly before it disappeared and revealed an incoming Black Star. Blair had no time to react and was caught off guard. He came at her with the same move he used to defeat Mifune. The slash was aimed precisely on her abdomen, just below the rib cage. The cut was deep, if not fatal. The music ended as she fell on her back, bleeding.

"You lost, now get out," he sneered.

"D-don't be too sure…about that," she coughed up a bit of blood, "Do you really…think that…by beating me…you can surpass God?"

"What? Of course!" he was getting worked up, again.

"You… don't have what it takes…your father did…but you don't, Black Star…" she coughed. He understood what she was pointing at.

"This is getting out of control," Marie shouted, "Stop! The test battle is over!" But, her words fell upon deaf ears. She tried to physically intervene, but Stein held her back for some reason. He didn't explain himself, instead, he told her to wait. The Shinigami and the other Death Scythes kept quiet. The other students didn't say anything as well for fear that it may enrage Black Star into doing something rash.

"You know…now what you must do," Blair grinned.

"Yes," he made up his mind and raised Tsubaki into the air for the finishing blow.

"I see," she closed her eyes and lied back down. She was in much pain, but it didn't matter now. She knew it would all go away in the next few moments and she was relieved. Due to her nature, she expected to have a short life. Up until this point, she was always afraid of failing. She had planned every step she ever made and she had no regrets, whether it was for betraying Mabaa or for joining up with the "enemy". Now, after all the planning and scheming, it's time to leave it all up to fate.

"You win."

"Eh?" she opened her eyes to find Black Star facing the school. Tsubaki was with him.

"I concede!" he shouted to the silent masses. Afterwards, he headed towards the stone steps, "Let's go, Tsubaki."

* * *

Meanwhile, Blair the cat rushed towards her okami. She wanted to turn into her human form in order to help her, but the latter forbid her. She got up on her own and watched Black Star and Tsubaki disappear into the distance.

"The plot thickens," she smiled. She turned around and everyone was looking at her in confusion. They didn't understand what took place. But most importantly, they were silent as the dead. That bothered her a bit. She just showed them all a good fight and this is how they react to it. It was unacceptable. So, she did what any hero or heroine would do in her situation.

"ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED!?" she shouted. That did it. With those words, she snapped them out of their confusion and they finally realized who the victor was. There was a burst of cheering and applause. She raised her left arm in victory and savored the moment as the students of Shibusen cheered and chanted her name. This made it clear to the Shinigami and his entourage that she wasn't like any of the enemies they've faced in the past. That much was certain.

"That's more like it," she smiled.


	4. Tsubaki's Dilemma

Episode 4: Tsubaki's Dilemma

* * *

"I'm not sure we should be doing this, Black Star," said Tsubaki.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, these guys aren't listed in Shibusen and…we're still targeting them?"

"Of course, these guys deserve what's coming to them," his response disheartened her a little. The two were standing on the strong branches of a large oak. Below them was a small slope leading to a cave. They had already searched it and found a few crates of food and weapons. However, their owners were none to be seen. Hence, they were forced to do a stake out. Yet, Tsubaki was having second thoughts. Everything happened so quickly that she didn't have time to think, just follow. She recalled how things led up to this point:

* * *

"_Um, what are we doing here, Black Star?" she asked. She looked around at the small town. Basing from the unique design of the houses, the heavy-built people, and the European-style clothing, she guessed that they were somewhere in Central Europe, most likely along the border between Austria and the Czech Republic. She wasn't sure. It had only been a couple of hours since they left Shibusen and they've already crossed continents. She was amazed of how small the world was. Anyway, her partner was too busy "talking" to a townsman to hear her. _

"_Where are the guys from Arachnophobia?!" he shouted, grabbing the man's collar. _

"_I don't know what you're talking about," he panicked. Black Star could tell by the look of fear in the man's eyes, he was lying. They're here, alright. In fact, they were probably watching them at this very moment._

"_We should get going, Black Star," Tsubaki suggested. The rest of the townsfolk were already giving them unfriendly stares._

"_Okay then. We'll look elsewhere," he said and let go._

"_Just leave. We don't want any more trouble here," he said._

* * *

6:22 p.m.—the cloudy skies above rumbled with the sound of thunder. Lightning flashes across the heavens, signaling the coming of a storm. The Grinning Moon had yet to make an appearance.

"Look! Here they come," he pointed to lights at a distance. As they came closer, they revealed themselves to be two pickup trucks. They had no markings whatsoever. The first one was being driven by the man from earlier. Beside him was another man dressed in a black jumpsuit and wearing a spider mask, the typical gear of Arachnophobia. They had a few small crates at the back. The second one was being driven by more of Arachne's minions. He had three or four guys sitting at the back.

"I knew it!" Black Star had suspected the town to be in cahoots with Arachnophobia and here was the proof. He signaled Tsubaki and she transformed into a short ninja knife, her Wakizashi form. They waited for the two trucks to stop. The men got off and went inside the cave.

"Let's go!" Black Star leapt down and immediately charged in after them. A minute later, the cave trembled and blew out a cloud of smoke and dust. The bad guys came running out, screaming for their lives.

"You're not getting away from me!" he came out and started kicking and punching anyone he caught up with. Tsubaki appeared soon after and saw that her partner had just finished rounding up their targets.

"Good job, Black Star," she smiled. He gave a thumbs-up as a response. After which, he turned his attention back to the enemy.

* * *

"Where is your boss?!" he shouted to them.

"Like we'd ever tell you," answered a big, buff minion. The others sniggered.

"I said, 'where is your boss?!'" he grew angrier. They were silent, only the big guy answered but with a lame joke. Since they were being unreasonable, Black Star had Tsubaki turn into her Wakizashi form. She complied without question.

"Oh look, a butter knife!" they laughed. Then, tongues began to loosen when he used that 'butter knife' to carve up the big guy. With their friend lying dead before them, they became a lot more forthcoming with answers.

"She's gone! The Kishin killed her," one answered.

"I'm talking about the old man!"

"But, we haven't heard from Mosquito-sama in months!" said another.

"Aside from your headquarters, where would he be?"

"I don't know…Paris, maybe? He has an estate there."

"Good," Black Star cut them loose. They were grateful, but then, he approached the pickup truck and tossed one of the crates to the ground. It broke and several weapons poured out. There were a set of large knives, 9mm pistols, a few Ingram semiautomatics, and a 12-gauge shotgun. They were fully-loaded and ready for use.

* * *

"Now, pick them up," he commanded them to choose their weapons.

"Wait! We don't want to fight," they panicked.

"Black Star, what are you doing?" Just as things were looking good, he turned it nasty. Tsubaki wanted to know what he was planning.

"Like I said, these guys deserve what's coming to them," he readied himself.

"We don't want to fight! Please just arrest us or something," pleaded one of them. He was quickly dispatched with a cut to the throat. This made it clear to them that surrendering was not an option. They were terrified of dying, so they scrambled for any weapon they could get a hold off. The first one got a 9mm pistol and fired at Black Star. Unfortunately, his intended target disappeared once he pulled the trigger. He ended up killing one of his friends before being cut in half.

"Stop! This is wrong!" Tsubaki protested, yet she could do nothing for Black Star was in control. Meanwhile, one of them got hold of a knife and charged at him.

"I don't want to die!" he cried, slashing away. His attacks were pathetic. They were slow and easy to avoid or defend against. He died after eight to ten stab wounds to his chest and abdomen. The last guy managed to use his brain. He knew they were no match for him, so he turned around and ran for dear life.

"Too late!" Black Star shouted, throwing his weapon. The blade flew through the air and struck him squarely on the back. He died before touching the ground. Tsubaki transformed back into her human form. She looked sadly at how her partner stood there covered in blood and boasting of his own victory.

* * *

"Oh…Black Star," she closed her eyes in pity.


	5. Breakdown

**Episode 5: Breakdown**

* * *

7:03 p.m.—lightning flashed across the heavens and thunder roared in its wake. The harbingers have spoken, and no sooner than that did their warnings come to pass. Heavy rain descended from the icy peaks of the high mountains and swept across the land in the beats of Fūjin and Raijin. The forest canopy could not hold against the flood of water that no creature under the protective florae was spared from the cold. The brazen fighter, Black Star, was facing the dark firmament. Yet he was not gazing upon the gloomy nimbi for his eyes were closed. Water rushed down his face and washed away the blood that covered him so. Oddly enough, he was still as a statue. It was as if time itself stopped him in his tracks. He was, in fact, savoring the moment of victory in peace. If he were a lesser man, he'd be hooting it up. No, he was likened to the noble samurai who respected his foes…

* * *

"YOSH!!! I AM THE BEST!" …then again, he was a boy which was equivalent to a "lesser man". Thus, such remarks like this were understandable…

Thrusting his fist into the air, he laughed victoriously in his own self-proclaimed greatness. While his long-time partner could not fathom what led him to commit such heartless acts of cruelty. Sure, he was uncontrollable at times, a little overconfident, and somewhat childish. But those only happened on a few rare occasions…

"I will surpass god!!!" Black Star was so happy with himself.

…then again, it was quite normal to confuse the terms "a few" and "rare" with the terms, "each" and "every". Nonetheless, there had never been a time that Black Star went totally overboard. None… although, the incident with Kid came to mind… or when he fought Mifune for the second time…

"He's hopeless," sighed Tsubaki.

His long-time partner could not deny the nature of the impudent fool. He was who he was and there was no changing that. All she could do now was to support him and hope that he would change. Although the chances of being killed by a blimp were infinitely greater than what she wanted to happen, she was still optimistic.

* * *

Meanwhile, around them, the bodies began to fade away into nothingness. Five crimson orbs appeared in their wake. The recent development placed a smile on the face of Black Star for these precious things justified his actions. He turned around to his partner, "See! These guys deserved it. Now take their souls and let's go."

"Okay," her voice was filled with newfound enthusiasm. She approached the first one to absorb it, but noticed something. Since there were six baddies, there ought to be six souls not five. The missing piece of the puzzle lied face-down before her. The man from the town who was accidentally shot by his comrade earlier did not disintegrate like the rest. His solid presence meant that he was still alive. She knew this and so did her partner.

"Hey, get up!" he shouted.

The man did not move an inch. By doing so, he already earned himself a proper beat down. However, when Black Star went to deliver, he found a bullet with his name on it. Whether it was due to fear or the human will to live, the man was able to pull off a lightning-quick reflex and surprise the boy with a 9mm pistol in hand. He fired…

"Black Star!" screamed Tsubaki.

* * *

Fortunately, thanks to the man's shaky trigger finger and abrupt attack, his aim was wide off the mark. The bullet flew passed Black Star's pointy head and headed towards a destination unknown. He was not hurt at all, but he tripped himself and ended up in the mud. With Tsubaki rushing to the boy's aid, the man was able to use this opportunity to flee into the woods.

"I'll hunt him down, while you finish up here, okay!?" were Black Star's words before running after the escapee. He did stop to hear her reply as he tracked the man through the dense forestry. Even though he could not tell his left from his right, his skill of tracking were not that bad. He managed to follow the trail of broken branches, blood smears, and snapped twigs. As a result, he spotted his target not too far away. Quickly, he picked up the closest rock and pitched man was struck hard at the hip and fell over.

Black Star swiftly went over to subdue him but was greeted with the barrel of a gun. The man looked terrified and confused. A bullet wound was apparent on his stomach. Blood was pouring out. The wound was probably from earlier after getting shot by his buddy.

"Give it up! You're dying!"

"Just leave me alone! I didn't do anything wrong!" he cried out.

"You didn't do anything wrong? You lied to me and you were helping those guys from Arachnophobia!" he answered back.

"I-I was being forced to do it. They'd kill everybody in town if I refused! Please believe me!"

"Then if you're so innocent, drop the gun and leave," Black Star moved backwards a bit.

"Oh thank you! Thank you!" he was relieved. He dropped the gun, got up, and ran. Sadly, this was a mistake he did not live to regret. He barely got a few feet away before feeling a stunning blow to his back…

"Deadly Blow! Black Star Big Wave!!!" the verdict was passed. His crime: guilty by association. The poor bastard was sentenced to death by electrocution. He shook violently as the electric current surged through his body. One could only imagine how he might have felt. His sensorimotor functions were overloaded meaning that he was feeling more pain than he had ever felt before in his life. Since this man was, by all means, normal, the attack proved fatal. His brain was fried and so were the rest of his internal organs. He never had a chance.

"Pathetic," spat Black Star.

Due to the intensity of the electric current, the man's body began disintegrating rather quickly. As his body disappeared into oblivion, his soul made its appearance and it stunned the triumphant boy.

"No way!!!" before him was the floating remnant of an innocent man. The ball of pale blue gave off an eerie glow of misery and depression. The young boy was shocked and terrified by this revelation. He had not anticipated nor had he even considered the possibility of harming an innocent…and yet…the evidence did not lie. _What should I do? How should I explain this to the Shinigami…or more importantly to…_

"Black Star! Where are you?!" Tsubaki called out from somewhere.

* * *

**Author's Notes**: It was pretty hard, but I did it…Chapter 5, baby! To commemorate this event, I'd like to thank each and every one of you for your constant support and reviews. For without you guys, I would be at chapter 8 by now…just kidding... But seriously, please review me…any comments and/or suggestions would be greatly appreciated… that is all… thank you again…and have a fun reading… =)


	6. Growing Up

Episode 6: Growing Up!

* * *

At 8:30 p.m. Black Star and Tsubaki boarded a train bound from Vienna to Paris. Thanks to Austria's well-managed transportation system, they've easily managed to secure a private compartment for themselves. The compartment, often called a 'sleeper car' because it catered to long-distance travel, provided them with adequate berths, a washbasin, perfect air-conditioning, a crystal-clear view of the outside, and a spacious area where they could place their things. The two wasted no time using the comfy folding beds that were situated at opposite ends of the room.

Normally, by using this mode of transportation, their ETA would be around 10:30 of the next morning. And that was a problem, because the two have never traveled by train before. They'd usually take a plane. But then again, due to Black Star's conduct during their last flight, the European Union issued a travel advisory that warned airports of a 'possible WMD' in the form of a blue-haired, monkey-resembling…_thing_…which now lead them to the present setting. It was quite understandable really. For you see, the idea of barging into the cockpit in mid-take off just to proclaim one's prominence via the intercom was, by all means, stupid. Not only was this an inconvenience to his fellow passengers, but his loud shouting made it appear as though the plane was being hijacked. So what happens when one of the passengers, a high-ranking diplomat, mistook it as such? Well, a quick phone call and a few dozen fighter jets made it a little problematic. Imagine Tsubaki's embarrassment when the press questioned how she, the supposed "responsible one", let her partner turn a simple trip into an international incident. No doubt they'd be hearing from the Shinigami once they got home.

"I hope that never happens again," Tsubaki sighed, worried that maybe this trip would suddenly trigger World War III or something. She shuddered at the thought. Meanwhile, her partner lay quietly in his bed with his back facing her. It wasn't clear whether he was asleep or not. However, as proven by the three minutes of peace, it was safe to assume that he was too tired to speakerstandble present ey-resembling carrierite ends of the . It was a miracle! Regardless, she was grateful because now, she would be able catch up with some much needed rest and relaxation.

* * *

By 7:00 the next morning, a knock on the door notified them of breakfast. They were both served with hot chocolate, cinnamon rolls, two eggs cooked sunny-side up, a loaf of bread, rice which they requested for, and the ever popular wurst. It was such a mouth-watering, hearty meal, and yet enjoying it proved to be a challenge for Tsubaki. She wasn't used to eating in silent surroundings. She checked the time and it was already 10 and a half hours since they started this trip and still not a peep was heard from Black Star. She began to worry. The peaceful tranquility became suspicious. It was too good to be true.

"Is there something wrong, Black Star?" she asked, cheerfully.

However, Black Star was too preoccupied with his own thoughts to hear her. This was most distressing, particularly with the mere mention of the tenth word of the last sentence. The ever supportive girl grew worried with her companion's drastic change of attitude. The loud and proud egotist became quiet and aloof for some reason. She set her plate aside and approached him.

"Black Star," she reached to touch his shoulder, "Are you-"

"I DIDN'T MEAN IT!!!" the sudden outburst shocked her. The look of fear and frustration in his eyes was something she had never seen before.

"O-Oh, it's you…I-I'm sorry," he was visibly shaking. Something was clearly wrong with him. He did not even bother to pick up the plate on the floor before returning to his dormant state. Tsubaki tried to recall what on Earth could have caused this. Since this was the only time she'd seen this, it meant that whatever it was happened after they fought those Arachnophobia goons.

'_It must be trauma_,' she thought. Alas! The word 'guilt' didn't cross her mind.

"It's going to be okay. We'll get him next time," she smiled, holding his hand in support. She was referring to earlier to when Black Star surprised her in the woods, saying that the last guy managed to get away. Not knowing that he lied, she came to conclude that his failure in capturing or killing his opponent must have badly ruined his self-esteem.

"Tsu…Tsubaki," he was deeply touched by her constant support and dedication that tears swelled up. He didn't understand it himself if the tears were brought about by his guilty conscience of having lied to his closest and most trusted friend or by the fact that she never doubted his word and always believed the best in him. Whatever the case maybe, he couldn't help himself from throwing his arms around her and crying his heart out.

"B-Black Star!" she gasped. The boy was hugging her tightly. Incidentally, his hair and forehead were pressing against two particularly sensitive parts. This sent shivers down her spine and caused goose bumps all over her skin. This intimate experience caused her to blush from ear to ear. She didn't want him to realize these effects he was having on her. Thus to save herself from the bitter embarrassment, she retorted with her usual maternal disposition.

"Everything's going to be alright," she whispered, tenderly caressing his hair as the boy cried on.

* * *

A few hours later, the train arrived in Paris at the expected time of 10:22 a.m. Even though November was upon them, the city was surprisingly sunny and warm. The people were happy and in high spirits. But no one was as ecstatic as the once guilt-ridden, yet humble young man who came from Austria who sadly turned into a loud, obnoxious, guilt-ridden, lying, egomaniac. One could say that in the terms of evolution, it was a quantum leap backwards. OR better yet, if more men were like him…then humanity would screech to a halt.

"Let's go, Tsubaki!" he grinned to his partner, leading her by the hand, as they ran out the train station.

'_He's grown up a little,_' she thought, 'but w_hy do I feel strange about it?_' She couldn't understand why, but for some reason the warm hand that led the way made her heart flutter.

'It feels…nice,' she smiled to herself. For better or for worse, this was proving to be a turning point in their futile relationship.


	7. The City of Light

**Episode 7: The City of Light**

* * *

**Author's Notes:** To my dear readers, if you're reading this now, then I thank you for your continuing patronage. I apologize for the very long wait. It took a perfect combination of procrastination, writer's block, and weather conditions to make this 5.3-week-delay, and I can only hope that I can be a bit more consistent with my updates in the future. Once again, thank you for your time. Please enjoy reading and don't forget to express yourselves via review (All comments, except mindless hate, are accepted). Thanks again! ^_^

* * *

"Um, Black Star…Are you sure you know where you're going?" Tsubaki had to ask. They'd been scouring the streets for what seemed like hours for any sign of Mosquito or his henchmen, but each time they always ended up at the Champ de Mars Gardens.

"I don't get it! WHERE ARE THEY!?" he cried out loud.

"This is already the fifth time we've been here, Black Star. Maybe we should call Shibusen for help?" suggested Tsubaki, growing weary of the repeating pattern.

Just then, a shiver ran up his spine. "O-Okay, you do that. I'm just gonna go look around again," he began sweating, but dashed away before her partner could notice. Knowing how the Shinigami could use Soul Perception, he feared being found out as a murderer, someone who had a kishin egg for a soul. He was convinced that his soul had already been tainted, though in reality, this was not so for he had yet to consume the soul of an innocent. Anyway, he left his partner drawing the numbers, "42-42-564" on the water of a nearby fountain and headed elsewhere.

* * *

"Death-Death-Murder…" she happily bowed as the Grim Reaper appeared on screen, or so to speak. "Shinigami-sama, I would like to report that-"

"HI THERE!!! I'M SORRY I'M NOT HERE," the Shinigami was talking, yet the image remained perfectly still.

"Shinigami-sama, what are you doing?" Spirit's voice was heard in the background.

"I'm setting up my new answering machine just in case someone calls and I'm not around."

"But that's impossible; we're in the center of your soul! You're always here!"

"Hey, I have a life too, you know. Besides, what if I was taking a bath?"

"Oh… Wait a minute! Y-You do that?"

"What, five-thousand years and I'm still wearing the same outfit? Of course I take baths!"

"Really? 'Coz that's kind of hard to imagine."

"SHINIGAMI CHOP!"

"W-why…?" Spirit was whimpering.

"Imagining me taking a bath? That's low, even for you!"

"Could you two stop fooling around and just finish this? Azusa's voice was accompanied by the sound of her flashing her glasses.

* * *

There was a brief moment of silence before the Shinigami spoke in a serious and formal manner, "Please leave a message after the beep…OK!" With that, the Shinigami's image changed to that of him giving off a big peace sign with his fingers.

"Huh?" a big sweat drop appeared on Tsubaki's head. Anyway, she gave a brief report on their predicament and requested some additional assistance in capturing Mosquito. Afterwards, she looked around for her partner.

"Black Star…" she found him on a bench close-by with the forlorn expression again. She couldn't understand it. After taking care of him for a long time, she thought she knew him like the back of her hand. But to see him in such a state, it pained her greatly.

Just then, a thought popped into her mind. Seeing him now, it reminded her of one of those sappy romance movies. She likened her situation to a scene where the main character, usually a guy, would find his love interest in tears after a sudden tragic twist. After failing to comfort her, the main character's last resort to cheer her up would be to take her on a date, to show how special she is.

"Black Star, why don't we take a break for a while?" she asked.

"Huh?" her words seemed to have snapped him out of his private world, "Oh, yeah…where we going, again?"

"Somewhere fun," she smiled as she took his hand and helped him up.

* * *

So, for the next few hours, they visited some of the city's tourist spots such as: the Arch de Triomphe, the Paris Opera House, and even the Louvre where Black Star, being who he is, loudly complained of why his picture was nowhere to be found. The museum was mentioned to have some of the greatest collections of art, and therefore, he concluded that the greatest artworks should be about the greatest man alive, which was him. Of course, this didn't sit well with the curator, especially when Black Star took down a wee painting entitled, "Mona Lisa" and proceeded to draw an image of himself. This created a huge scene. Oddly enough, the people there weren't surprised seeing as how the two were already well-known in Europe for their infamous flight to Austria, something that Black Star was verbally upset about because he didn't even see a single kangaroo, as opposed to what was written in the brochure. In the end, they didn't get into any trouble; it was just that Tsubaki had to promise that they'd never, ever set foot into the museum again.

"It was worth it," she smiled. Regardless of how she lost her dignity for the second time, she was happy to see him back to his normal self.

* * *

It was about four in the afternoon when they got back to the Champ de Mars Gardens. As they were about to call it a day, Tsubaki spotted something of great interest.

"C'mon, we've got to check this out," she pointed over to a row of well-made sketches and oil paintings, basking in the sunlight.

As they approached, a man came out of nowhere and greeted them.

"Bonjour mes ami! How may I help you today?" he said in a Corsican accent. The man was wearing a colonel's uniform of the 19th Century Imperial Guard Grenadiers. In addition, he also wore a Légion d'honneur and Order of the Iron Crown decorations, along with gold epaulettes, white French-style culottes and white stockings.

"Good afternoon… um, did you make all of these?" asked Tsubaki.

"Yes, off course. Would you two like to be immortalized in a work of art?" Before they could answer, he immediately offered them a seat, "Please, sit, sit. 'Tis free," he said, patting the chair. They reluctantly accepted.

* * *

Minutes into this, Black Star managed to work up the courage to say, while blushing, "I had a great time. Thanks, Tsubaki."

"Y-You're welcome," she had difficulty saying. Her heart was speeding up making her feel overly happy, but a little nervous. 'Maybe this is love?' she flushed at the idea.

"Aw, you two are in love," the painter suddenly broke the tension and made them go red from ear to ear. They wanted to deny it, but for some reason, they didn't. They could only look at each other and smile.

"Such young love…" sighed the painter. "…Now, would you cut it out! I'M WORKING HERE!"

"Yes, sir!" they saluted, unknowingly.

It was a crazy day for them. But all in all, it was a great day. After a few more minutes of waiting, the painter, whom they referred to as 'Napy', presented his work…

* * *

"IT'S JUST LIKE ANIME!" they reacted.

Now, with Black Star having a picture that he could call a masterpiece, the day became perfect. Tsubaki could not have wished for something more.

"Um, excusez-moi," Napy tapped her shoulder. "That'll be fifty Euros please!"

"What? But I thought it was free?"

"Sitting's free. Painting's 50 Euros. Rebuilding an empire's not cheap, you know."

"Okay, okay," she pulled out her purse.

"Merci mademoiselle! But before you two go, would you like to see the true beauty of my country?" he looked up with a proud smile at the magnificent engineering marvel that is the Eiffel Tower.

* * *

"BEHOLD WORLD! YOU'RE MASTERPIECE IS FINISHED! I AM BLACK STAR!" he declared, standing right on top of the tower and waving the canvas like a flag. How he got up there, no one knows. Meanwhile, on the third observation deck…

"Is he always like this?" asked Napy.

"You have no idea, Bonaparte-sama…" she sighed with a large sweat drop on her head.


	8. Silencer: The Beauty of Resonance!

**Episode 8: Silencer: The Beauty of Resonance!**

* * *

"Hey, watch it! That hurts us too, you know!" yelled Liz after Blair swung the silver barrel and slammed it against Mosquito's face.

"Sorry, but I don't know why I can't use you guys!" she replied, seeing that pulling the trigger would only make a clicking sound.

"Take this!" Mosquito threw a punch.

"Ouch!" screamed the Thompson Sisters when Blair used them to block the attack.

"Okay! That does it!" Liz turned into her human form and so did Patti. "We'll do this our way!" Blair stepped back while the two alternately transformed into their weapon or human forms to take turns firing at Mosquito like they did with the mummies of Anubis.

"Hold still!" Mosquito could not even deliver a single blow and was shot frequently between the eyes. However, this tactic did no real damage and only seemed to work as a diversion. Nevertheless, it was what Blair wanted. She knew that none of them could pierce his tough exterior, so the only thing they could do was to buy time until the rest of their team got back. Although…

"Die! Die! Die! You old fart! Mwa-ha-ha-ha!!!" Patty appeared to be having way too much fun that it was a bit frightening for her allies.

* * *

Elsewhere, Black Star and Tsubaki were still making their way to where the action was. They were able to pinpoint the exact location thanks to the boy's farsightedness when he spotted the battle from atop the Eiffel Tower.

"I hope they're still OK."

"Don't sweat it! As long as I'm here to save the day, I won't let any of those guys steal the spotlight by dying," declared a hyped-up Black Star as he leapt from building to building with his partner.

* * *

"What's the matter? Had enough!?" Patty laughed as the ancient vampire had exhausted so much energy in trying to catch them that he retreated into a turtle-like stance just to save his strength. With his massive arms shielding his head and his feet tucked in, there wasn't much left to shoot at.

"Damn!" Patty was pissed off to see that all her shots couldn't even dent his tough hide. On a different note, maybe it was due to the heat of battle or some other explanation, but something triggered a sudden change in Patty. She was now very serious and a lot more focused to the task at hand, unlike before. But, on the other hand, she was more prone to anger and she looked pretty mean.

* * *

Meanwhile, Sid and Azusa were still watching from the safety of Notre Dame.

"She doesn't seem to be doing anything. What should we do?" asked Sid.

"Just wait, she'll use her magic sooner or later. Then we'll know exactly how powerful she really is."

"Understood, Azusa-sama."

* * *

Suddenly, "Guys, watch out!" screamed Blair, but it was too late. Mosquito surprised the twins with a fast rolling attack and left them flat as pancakes.

"Is that all you got!?" he gloated.

"Crap," Blair was in quite a pickle. Without the Thompson Sisters, she was utterly defenseless. Moreover, Maka and the rest were still MIA. She had no choice, but to use her own special abilities.

"Vami, vampi, brato, batobat! Silencer!" she created a large, invisible field encompassing the whole bridge from end to end.

"…?" Mosquito was startled to find himself flapping his lips and no sound came out.

"What's wrong? Cat got your tongue?" while his enemy spoke clearly.

No matter, one doesn't need words to crush his opponent. Thus, he rolled towards her and landed a strong hammer blow. He missed by two paces. So, he followed it up with a swift left hook…to no avail. Surprisingly, he was moving slower than usual.

"Don't you get what's happening here? Or are you just that stupid?" she sniggered.

"…!" Whatever he said, it involved a lot of silent-shouting and some pretty harsh words.

"Ever heard of music? Right now, we're in a giant Amplifier! The more sound waves I make, the stronger I'll become. It's as simple as that!" Her last words echoed and caused a slight tremor to be felt.

* * *

"Sonic Resonance, Amplification, Vibration, and Oscillation…the beauty of sound and the rhythm of waves; this is my specialty!" She explained how the field around them would trap each and every sound wave, sending it back as an echo. This process would repeat, again and again until the echoes were strong enough to cause physical damage. No sooner than that, the stone beneath them began to shake and rumble. In addition, the amount of sound waves also affected the air density, making it feel as though one were underwater.

"…" At this point, he realized how his noisy, bulky self left him at a tremendous disadvantage. He quickly rectified this problem by turning back the clock a hundred years to when he was at his fastest. His limbs and nose became longer, giving him a streamlined body structure.

"Time to end this," she then started wailing like a banshee. The sound waves became terribly destructive and started tearing away at his flesh. Even the bridge was in danger of shattering to bits.


	9. Stardust

**Episode 9: Stardust**

* * *

**Author's Note:** Again, please remember that the Soul Eater Chronicles is a series. As such, it is also important to read the two other stories coinciding with this one. Though I know that some of you have 'biases' on which character/s you'd prefer to follow and I respect that, but please reconsider. It is to help you, my valued readers, get the full view of this entire series. Thank you for your time and please enjoy... ^_^

* * *

Paris—at about 2:04 in the afternoon, Blair de Valesti and the Thompson Sisters, Liz and Patti, went up against the mighty Mosquito on the Pont Louis-Philippe. However, in the course of the battle, Liz and Patti were knocked out by the hulking behemoth. Thus, Blair was forced to unleash her power in order to finish the job.

"Time to end this," Blair started wailing like a banshee. The sound waves were terribly destructive that it started tearing away at his flesh. Even the bridge was in danger of shattering to bits.

It seemed as though victory was assured for the heroin, but then…

* * *

"YA-TA! I FOUND YOU AT LAST!"

Loud shouting was heard from above. It was none other than Black Star. He was on one of the nearby buildings, laughing at the heavens as he brandished the Demon Blade, Tsubaki. However, as expected, no one even bothered to notice him.

"OI, OI! I'M TALKING HERE! LISTEN UP!!" he grew furious at being completely ignored.

"Black Star, maybe we should just get down there and help," suggested Tsubaki.

"BUT NO ONE STEALS MY SPOTLIGHT!!!"

* * *

Meanwhile, Mosquito was brought to his knees. He could not escape nor could he even protect himself from Blair. The sound waves that battered his body were also driving him crazy with a massive migraine. He was frustrated and confused. His ear drums were just about ready to pop.

"SSSSSTOOOPP!!!" he couldn't even hear himself scream.

Clearly, at this point, it wasn't going to take long for his soul to be out in the open. He had to do something, but what? Only a miracle would save him now…

"HERE I COME!!!" yelled the so-called ninja after he sliced off a huge portion of the building and brought it down with him.

_Crash!!!_

* * *

Several tons of concrete and steel buried Mosquito and engulfed the area in a cloud of dust and smoke. Blair was thrown back and landed on the wing chair she set up earlier. Liz and Patti were a bit farther from the action so they weren't in any danger of being crushed.

"Ugh…w-what just happened?" Blair was focused so much on her opponent that she didn't even notice the falling debris until it was too late.

"YOSH!!! THE AMAZING BLACK STAR IS HERE!" he declared atop the pile of rubble, in a king-of-the-mountain-type manner.

"What the hell!? What do you think you're doing, monkey!?" shouted Blair, enraged by his audacious moves.

"Hey, I just saved your life! Be grateful!"

"Saved my life? Are you kidding me!? I outta kick your ass for doing such a stupid stunt like that!"

"You're really asking for it, aren't you!?" his grip tightened on Tsubaki. Her partner knew that this was getting serious. So, before Black Star could do anything he'd regret, she disarmed him by forcefully turning back into her human form.

"Relax, you guys. We shouldn't be fighting. We're all on the same side here, right?" she tried to diffuse the situation, but her words fell on deaf ears.

"Bring it on!" Blair readied herself in a karate combat stance.

"You're dead!" he charged, leaving his partner behind.

* * *

Attacking with strong kicks and fast punches, Black Star didn't hold back and so did Blair. Meanwhile, as they fought, Mira Nygus appeared on Notre Dame to inform Sid of an impending danger.

"What? You saw some witches coming here?"

"Yes, Sid-sama. They blocked out all radio signals so I couldn't call it in.

"How many and where are they now?"

"About twelve on brooms and they're two klicks from our position."

"This isn't good. Azusa-sama, we have to leave immediately."

"I know. Nygus-san, where's the Death Copter?"

"I've hid it behind this cathedra-"

* * *

"KYAAAAAH!!!" a woman's scream echoed across the desolate cityscape and caught everyone by surprise.

"Tsubaki!" Black Star was shocked to find his partner fighting for life in the hands of Mosquito, now turned into his hundred-year form. It seems that tons of rubble weren't enough to lay the ancient fossil down to rest. Somehow, he managed to dig himself out.

"Move and I'll break her neck!" he threatened.

"Let her go and I'll go easy on you!"

"You insolent brat! You think I won't do it!? It'll be as easy as snapping a twig!"

"If you hurt her, I'll rip you to pieces!"

In a strange twist, Black Star was going about this hostage situation in the wrong way. However, it seemed as though it was working for Mosquito was actually hesitating, probably because he was a gentleman at heart. At the same time, Sid was having trouble aiming for his head.

"No good. If we fire from this angle, the bullet would pierce his skull and still hit Tsubaki-chan. What should we do, Azusa-sama?"

"Aim for his neck. I might be able to stop him."

"Yes, sir!"

_Bang!!!_

* * *

In a split second, Black Star dashed forward and delivered a flying kick to Mosquito's body just as the bullet severed his head off. In effect, his body was sent flying over the guardrails and towards the water below.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry I left you," the boy hugged her tightly.

"Black Star…" Tsubaki was about to cry in his arms when…

"Don't be too sure of yourself, punk!" From out of nowhere, Mosquito's bouncing head appeared and sprang a direct attack with his needle nose.

"Tsubaki!" Amazingly, Black Star's quick reactions saved her yet again. Although Mosquito's attack wasn't really aimed at her, the boy pushed her out of the way and nobly "sacrificed" himself in the process.

* * *

"Ewww! That's disgusting!" was all Blair could say as she watched Mosquito drain away litres of blood via the boy's left butt cheek and making him pass out.

Incidentally, without the vital liquid, Black Star was pale as a ghost, weighed only about a few pounds and his entire body became like paper. A gust of wind blew him across the pavement together with a few dust bunnies.

"I'm back!" In the end, Mosquito became stronger after instantaneously regenerating his hundred-year-old body. In doing so, he had also effectively sobered up.

"Oh man…We've lost two more," sighed the witch. After the Thompson Sisters, now Black Star and Tsubaki were out. The latter was sent to never-never land when she hit her head on a rock after being "saved".

"What the heck is taking those guys so long?" she looked around as though she was expecting someone.


	10. The True Path of the Stars!

**Author's Notes: **This is the TENTH and FINAL CHAPTER of the "Dark Path of the Stars" saga... I would like to thank you, my dearest readers, for helping me get this far so I've decided to end it with a lighter side... Enjoy and please don't be afraid to leave your comments, questions, or suggestions... ^_^

**

* * *

Episode 10: The True Path of the Stars!**

_

* * *

What have you done?_

A faint whisper echoed in the distance.

"Huh? Who's there?"

The sleepy boy woke up in a daze. It was still dark and he couldn't see anything at all. He yawned, stretching his arms, and then rubbed his eyes. As he rubbed them though, the unpleasant feel of cold water on his hands surprised him.

"What is…WHAT THE HECK?" he shuddered at the sight of blood on his hands. In fact, he found himself covered in it.

Then, a soft voice whispered to him, "What have you done?"

"Who's there!? Show yourself!" he shouted.

All of a sudden, a blinding flash of light changed the surroundings. Tsubaki's bloody world materialized around him.

"W-why am I here?"

"What have you done?" the voice grew louder.

"Shut up! Shut…" he turned around and a horrifying scene was there to behold. An unconscious Tsubaki was lying on her side with several deep cuts inflicted on her.

"No! No!! Tsubaki!! Please! Please don't die on me!!! Please!" he tried waking her but to no avail.

"Black Star," a whisper from behind sent him shivers.

"What- It can't be!"

* * *

A man with stars on his shoulders and wearing the same shinobi clothes appeared. He wore a head garb to cover his face and only two piercing red eyes showed him for what he was. Although Black Star had never laid eyes on him, he knew in his gut that the man proudly standing before him was the one and only infamous head of the Star Clan, White Star. This was a man whose overpowering drive for victory led him to take even innocent souls and became a kishin.

"What have you done to- Tsubaki!" he gasped. She was right there in his arms and yet she vanished.

"Did you lose something, Black Star?"

At that moment, the bizarre series of events made the boy realize that it was all a dream. "What's the meaning of this? You're dead, aren't you?" he sneered.

"I'll never die. As long as you're alive, the Star Clan will never fade."

"I don't give a shit about the Star Clan! I'm not like you! I'm different!"

"Are you sure? Didn't you just kill a man in cold blood?"

"I-It was an accident! I didn't mean to!"

"Sure you did. It felt great didn't it? Taking the life of another makes you feel strong, doesn't it?"

"Shut up! I don't want to hear it!"

He covered his ears and repeated himself.

"Don't run from me!" roared his father and choked him with his hand. Black Star tried to pry himself free, but the man was too strong. Then, he lifted the boy off his feet and grinned, showing off his Soul-like, sharp teeth.

"You are the heir of the Star Clan. It's your destiny to continue our legacy. Grow up! Fight! Win! And become the strongest of us all!"

"NO!" he coughed.

"What?"

"I-I don't need to...I don't need that kind of strength…and I don't need YOU!" he kicked himself free. As a consequence though, White Star smacked him on the head, punched him in the gut, and shoved his face against one of the petrified shadow puppets that littered the area.

Still reeling from the assault, Black Star tried to get up but a heavy foot pressed him down.

"Don't you wish you had that strength now?" he gloated. A second later, the large deer/zebra-like creature made its appearance. He remembered it to be the very same one that tested his determination. Perhaps this was another test?

* * *

"He's right you know. If you keep on being this pathetic, how do you expect to protect my sister?" with that, it transformed into a young man with long black hair. He wore a green kimono and had an air of peace around him. Clearly, this wasn't the same person who turned into a kishin and tried to kill Tsubaki.

"So you're Masamune, Tsubaki's older brother?"

"Yes, I am. And I'm here to tell you that something terrible will happen soon. If you still choose to follow your own path, then you'll find nothing but sorrow at the end."

"Can't you understand that?" White Star lifted his foot and gave him a helping hand.

"…" his son was silent for a moment and then he started laughing. "Baka! What do you expect me to do, then!? You want me to become a monster like you!?"

White Star spat, "What a stupid son I have," before he and Masamune faded into the dark as the dream came to an end.

* * *

2:13 a.m.—the sleeping boy woke up in a daze. It was still dark and he couldn't even see the ceiling. It was strange, but he recalled smelling the odor of stinky socks and sweat before hitting the sack. Now, the "man smell" was replaced by the scent of lavender and expensive shampoo. He was about to yawn, when he fully remembered all that had transpired in his dream.

"Tsubaki!" he immediately searched for his partner, only to find her lying next to him.

"Huh? Black Star? What's wrong?" she was still half-awake, but then, "EH!!? B-BLACK STAR!? What are you doing on my bed!?"

"Tsubaki, you're alright!" After realizing how terrible it was to lose someone precious to him, he almost cried and hugged her in relief.

"B-BLACK STAR!? WAIT! STOP! I-It's too early for us yet! STOP!!!" her voice echoed into the night.

* * *

The next morning, shortly before Stein's dissection class, Liz noticed a very happy Tsubaki. She leaned closer and asked, "So, what made this a good morning?"

"Oh, nothing," she smiled, almost giggling in fact.

Meanwhile, several seats away, Soul noticed a very happy Black Star. He leaned closer and asked, "Dude, what the hell happened to you?"

As he slowly turned to him, the sound of snapping bone was heard. He tried to open his eyes to look at him but, with both of them black-and-blue and swelling, it was a challenge. A few large bumps on his face and forehead especially made it difficult to even make a proper expression. With a broken nose and blood streaming out, he couldn't really breathe as easily as he hoped. It was fine though. He smiled, showing off what little teeth remained. He shakily gave his friend a thumbs-up, just before the thumb bent the other way around.

"I-I…Li-i-iv-ed…" he said and passed out.

* * *

**Author's Notes: **Production on the next story entitled, "Soul Eater Chronicles: Midnight Rave" will begin post-haste... So please, stay updated... ^_^ and Happy Holidays!!!


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